Ersery impressed the Texans coaches in training camp so much that not only did they move him from right tackle to left tackle, they also made the rookie a starter for the season opener against the Los Angeles on Sunday. That surprises Logan-Redding not one bit.
“He’s been putting in the work and being the sponge, like any Gopher would when you go to the league,” said Logan-Redding, who talks occasionally with Ersery by phone. “He’s taking all the coaching that you can take.”
Ersery isn’t the only one.
He’s part of 24 former Gophers players who were on NFL rosters or practice squads as of Wednesday, ahead of Thursday night’s season opener between the Eagles and Cowboys in Philadelphia. Seven of those 24 Gophers in the NFL come from last year’s team — Ersery, quarterback Max Brosmer of the Vikings, defensive back Jack Henderson of Tampa Bay’s practice squad, tight end Nick Kallerup of Seattle, linebacker Cody Lindenberg of Las Vegas, defensive end Danny Striggow of Jacksonville and Indianapolis cornerback Justin Walley, who’s injured and out for the season.
“We take a lot of pride in coaching in terms of developing guys to get to that level, and then it’s awesome for our current guys to see the process of it,” Gophers defensive coordinator Danny Collins said. “Hey, maybe it didn’t start off the greatest when that guy was a freshman, right? And the young guys right now get to see the growth, and they get to see, ‘Hey, that’s what it looks like if you just continue to change your best every single day.’ ”
The total of 24 Gophers on NFL rosters is the most under coach P.J. Fleck, and it shows the coaching staff has pushed the program forward in development. In 2024, the Gophers had 20 players on opening-day NFL rosters or practice squads. In 2023, that total was 17. In 2022, it was 14.
Fleck, who’s entering his ninth season as Minnesota’s coach, has had 19 players who finished their careers with the Gophers selected in the NFL draft. That includes an active six-year streak of at least one player selected in the first or second round — the program’s longest streak since 1940-45. Sixteen of those 19 remain on NFL rosters.